Unsolved Chris Brahney

[Silent Alarm]

So this is a case that I doubt anyone here has heard of. Well, except moomba, who lives in the same village as Chris Brahney did.

On June 29, 2012, the Stone Roses played the first of their three comeback gigs. This was in their hometown of Manchester, England. The shows took place at Heaton Park. Chris was one of 75,000 who were at the show. He was alerted missing when he didn't come home. Ten days after he went missing, his body was found in Manchester's River Irwell. Toxicology reports were never released and his death was deemed inconclusive.

So here's a bit of a timeline...

• June 29: Earlier in the day, Brahney buys a pair of shoes. He hides the new shoes at a carpark in the city centre. His plan is to pick them up after the gig. He wears green wellington boots to the Heaton Park concert. This was, possibly, so he and his mates could go out after the gig. Heaton Park is just that: A park
• He meets up with some friends. A photo of Brahney and his mates is taken outside a well known bar, located on Cateaton Street
• The group arrive at the Stone Roses show
• During the gig, Brahney loses his mobile phone
• At around 11:30pm: the concert ends. Brahney and his friends leave. It's at this time that Chris realises his phone is missing
• Police later trace his phone as being in Edinburgh
• The exit, from what I've heard, was pretty chaotic. Chris tells his friends that he's going to search to find his phone. A few reports say he was pretty adamant in finding his phone. At this point, he loses his friends at the gate. That's all that is known and is the last time he sees his mates (A few questions arise, which I've pointed out below with *)
• Around midnight, June 30: He follows this route (the map here is extremely easy to follow)
Chris goes walks north from Heaton Park. He catches a bus further north. He continues north, on the bus, to Bowlee park and ride. He is now north-east of Heaton Park. He talks to a group of girls and tells them he's lost his phone and friends
• He then travels the same route, going southward. He then goes south-west, as though going in a clock-wise and circular way around to Heaton Park
• 12:05, June 30: Chris is possibly seen walking past Maccabee Sports Centre (a community leisure and aquatic centre). This is on route to Heaton Park, as though he was returning there
• 1:04, June 30: He then goes to the Manchester City Centre. He arrives and finds his shoes. He then carries a Primark bag (Primark is essentially like Jay Jays or something; a chain of really cheap clothes. This is presumably where his shoes were bought) for his entire journey
• This video shows his route in the city:

• Brahney walks eastward
• 1:48, June 30: The last passage of this video shows a walk south from Deansgate
• 1:51, June 30: Brahney arrives at Parsonage
• This map shows that walk of his in the city
• He walks around an overhang for an hour. The police haven't released the CCTV. It's reportedly blurry, meaning no real evidence can be gained from it. The clip below shows the area:

• Around a month after his death, the police sent out looking for seven possible witnesses. Not one comes forward
* Why did he search a large paddock at midnight? Was he intoxicated? Why did he need his phone so desperately? And why didn't his friends just say "don't worry mate, use mine if you need to call your folks?" Or why did his group allow him to go on such a futile scour?

Now, this whole thing just really got to me. It's not often that news gets to me in a way like this. I guess I saw him as someone a lot like me: A young, white, male adult walking home after hitting the piss and going to a gig. I thought about it for quite a while, and it just really hit me. And I remember at the time, a lot of people thought one thing: He'd met a girl and was at her place for a night. I just think that's the saddest thing. Nights out are supposed to result in those kind of affairs.

Now, I don't know why I started this thread. But it was the first crime that came to mind when thinking of cases I was curious about.

Basically, how could a 22-year old just fall in the river? Why he did lull on a balcony for an hour? Was he just drunk, and then fell into the river? Or would that scenario require intoxication that really isn't evident in the video (I don't think he looks too pissed at all. The walk would've sobered him up a fair bit, it was 2km). What do you reckon happened? Suicide? Accident? Foul play?

For what it's worth, I've heard a few things. These are from people in Manchester who I spoke to about this whole thing. Obviously, it's just rumour and innuendo. But the general consensus is that his family know what happened.

 

[Paul Kersey]

Suicide?

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Could have been extremely intoxicated on god knows what?

 

[Silent Alarm]

But I dunno, the video doesn't really show that he was highly intoxicated. I did see an interview with his mates, and they seemed like the lager-and-soccer type rather than anything else. People reckon you can see him swigging from a bottle or smoking something, but I don't think he is. He just isn't wobbling enough to be drunk. He's also pretty clear in where he's going.

There's a facebook page (they actually tried to get them all closed and shut down, after one, Help Find Chris Brahney, got like 100,000 members or something insane) that has an interesting comment. It's from his mate and the tone seems to be sympathetic more than anything else. The thing that struck me is that his mates didn't seem overly distraught or distressed. They organised rallies to find him, but on TV they seemed to have a calm and completely normal demeanour – it's not like they really regretted losing him, or, that it was their fault. I dunno.

Suicide seems the most possible. There are photos where he seems a little distant and... sad eyed. I know that's extremely flimsy evidence, but whatever. One or two people told me there were rumours he was looking for his phone to call an ex-girlfriend, who he'd only just broken up with.

I don't want to say a lot more on what I've heard. It's not backed up by anything the police or media have said.

The thing that hits me is, was this intentional? Did he want to see a band he liked and have a night out with his mates and then end it? Or did losing his mates and phone just add to his woes?

EDIT: The same friend who commented about missing Chris has a photo uploaded. He's with a bunch of other guys. They all seem pretty upbeat and have a few cartons of beer each. Bit of a remembrance thing or what?

 

[Ghostwriter]

Was he gay?, hanging around in a spot for an hour late at night, carrying a shopping bag, the first thing i thought after watching the cctv was ditch the bag, and whatever's in it, the 3 blokes walking in the still frame probably tipped him over the handrail into the river, astoundingly with the amount of cctv available there is none that shows what happened, big brother let his little brother down on this one.

Not quite sure of the relevance of the 7 witnessess, 2 girls were apparently on cctv at 00:32, the 3 blokes were seen at 00:35, and the final 2 girls were seen at 6:28, can someone straighten this one out for me, and why no cctv showing these 7 ppl.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Was he gay?, hanging around in a spot for an hour late at night, carrying a shopping bag, the first thing i thought after watching the cctv was ditch the bag, and whatever's in it, the 3 blokes walking in the still frame probably tipped him over the handrail into the river, astoundingly with the amount of cctv available there is none that shows what happened, big brother let his little brother down on this one.

There's a video on Youtube of a police woman saying he's "walking up and down" the area. I think that has some significance, otherwise it's a weird thing to say. The video is blurry. But I mean, it made out his movements, so I'm sure it would've picked up any other people coming into frame.

I heard something about a girlfriend. But I have no idea if he's gay or not. I think it might be a business or something that has the porch he was walking along. So I don't think that's going to much of a private place for pick ups – or maybe it was, and that's why it had CCTV? A few commenters on different websites/youtube also said something about it being a drug thing. But I just don't think it was either of those scenarios.

 

[Ghostwriter]

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereve...-stone-roses-fan?page=2&page_size=25#comments

Bit better link with some interesting comments, one of the stills from the cctv shows the 3 men running out of the balcony which they were seen entering.

 

[CrippsonBlue]

If you dismiss the likely scenarios then obviously it adds to the intrigue, but from this limited reading there does not seem to be cause to (and haven't read all the links provided). Drugs for instance take a while to kick in and so his walk through the city wouldn't appear odd, however once it did kick in he's freaked out, gone to a quiet location and then ended up in the water.

Think you're looking too much into certain things - all of your asterisk questions are suggestive of odd behavior, yet plenty of people would want to search for their phone irrespective of what their friends may have said. Also not sure what your implying regarding the demeanor of the friends' however I don't think short footage or the odd post can give any meaningful insight.

It certainly doesn't sound premeditated especially with him commenting on losing his phone and friends to strangers. Doesn't mean it was not suicide though.

If it was foul play, surely this would have come out by now given they have footage irrespective of how blurred it may be.

 

[Ghostwriter]

If it was foul play, surely this would have come out by now given they have footage irrespective of how blurred it may be.

Disagree, the cctv of him on the balcony hasn't been released because according to the op it was blurry, when isn't cctv blurry?, the cops are obviously holding it back in the hope one of the 3 blokes comes forward and gives evidence as to what happened, anyone who follows crimes in the media know that the cops sit on a lot of evidence, my take is that the cctv however blurry shows Chris being thrown into the river but it can't be verified who of the 3 blokes it was. The girls could be witnesses, one of the pics of the 2 girls shows them very close, was this dead end balcony a lovers lane for gays/lesbians, was Chris hoping to pick up, were the 3 guys doing what blokes have done for years and beat up **** and throw them into the river?

 

[Ghostwriter]

"For what it's worth, I've heard a few things. These are from people in Manchester who I spoke to about this whole thing. Obviously, it's just rumour and innuendo. But the general consensus is that his family know what happened."

Your quote Silent Alarm can you expand on what you've heard, if it's rumour and innuendo what are we doing now, it can be 3 things, death by misadventure, suicide or murder, what are these rumours?

 

[Silent Alarm]

http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereve...-stone-roses-fan?page=2&page_size=25#comments

Bit better link with some interesting comments, one of the stills from the cctv shows the 3 men running out of the balcony which they were seen entering.

I just don't think it was a murder. The people entering could have legitimate alibis. I think they enter during the time that Chris is on the balcony. Maybe the CCTV shows them talking to Chris. Or maybe they walk in, see Chris, and walk back out. I don't know, but the CCTV would pick up any serious altercation.

Interesting comment section, definitely. If it weren't 10pm with a TV series needing to be knocked off, I'd read more. But this one, from the first page, is from someone in the area. What could the phone have triggered? I don't get the comment. Is it an informed question, or just as baseless as some blokes in Australia?

"The autopsy was "inconclusive". The toxicology results were not released (or reported on). Chris was drinking something from a large bottle on the car park CCTV, but didn't look unsteady. I feel that the loss of that phone triggered something perhaps only Chris knew about and led to this. Whether finding it now would be able to answer that, I don't know, but someone else in the area possibly does know."

But did any of you see him drinking from a bottle? Or is this just looking too closely at the screen?

Disagree, the cctv of him on the balcony hasn't been released because according to the op it was blurry, when isn't cctv blurry?, the cops are obviously holding it back in the hope one of the 3 blokes comes forward and gives evidence as to what happened, anyone who follows crimes in the media know that the cops sit on a lot of evidence, my take is that the cctv however blurry shows Chris being thrown into the river but it can't be verified who of the 3 blokes it was. The girls could be witnesses, one of the pics of the 2 girls shows them very close, was this dead end balcony a lovers lane for gays/lesbians, was Chris hoping to pick up, were the 3 guys doing what blokes have done for years and beat up **** and throw them into the river?

Well of course CCTV footage is blurry. But I think it's this video where it's explained that the CCTV in this position is of poor quality. That might be because it's just a private business, and the position is nothing more than a one-way alley.

Why can't it be a lover's lane for straight people?
The two women go to the balcony at 12:32 (Chris was up near Heaton Park) and 1:14 (on his way to the city, or, Heaton Park). The three men go there at 12:35 (Heaton Park). Another was at 6:28 (at least three hours after Brahney had fallen into the Irwell). They hadn't been in the area when he was. What police might be looking at is why people are going there? Who goes to an alley at that time of the morning, especially twice? Or who goes there at 6am (possibly the 6am visit wasn't for something sordid or sinister, bit of an awkward time)? The police are probably curious.

If you dismiss the likely scenarios then obviously it adds to the intrigue, but from this limited reading there does not seem to be cause to (and haven't read all the links provided). Drugs for instance take a while to kick in and so his walk through the city wouldn't appear odd, however once it did kick in he's freaked out, gone to a quiet location and then ended up in the water.

Think you're looking too much into certain things - all of your asterisk questions are suggestive of odd behavior, yet plenty of people would want to search for their phone irrespective of what their friends may have said. Also not sure what your implying regarding the demeanor of the friends' however I don't think short footage or the odd post can give any meaningful insight.

The drug thing... they were drinking when it was still light-ish. If they were doing drugs, maybe they would've taken them at the show. Or, maybe they wanted them when they were to go clubbing? I guess there are some hypotheticals. But I don't think he was on drugs. He was walking up and down the balcony, and my perspective (obviously guesswork – only GMP have seen footage) is that he was walking fine, and just contemplating.

I personally do think going back to Heaton Park is something of note. There is a possibility that he didn't tell his mates he'd lost his phone. He possibly lost them intentionally or without telling them about what he was looking. But I reckon he's gone and told them "I've just realised I've lost my phone. I'm gonna go look for it, I know where it is." He's organised to meet them somewhere. But jesus, it's a gig for a band that plenty of the lad types would be into. Surely it's weird to search for a phone at midnight when your mates are waiting. He had no way of contacting his parents, friends, or a taxi either. I dunno, I think it's a valid question and his behaviour (and friends') was a bit careless. The normal reaction would've been "*, it's only a Sony Ericsson" and then to go out and use someone else's phone or get a cab home.

 

[Ghostwriter]

You don't think its murder?!!!, this is a crime board. Even if it was a UFO abduction its still a crime.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Just watched the videos. Walked some of those street myself ( the more populated ones at the start).

I think suicide unfortunately. He seemed to be wandering aimlessly.

Though it's intriguing that nobody has come forward. I guess there's the possibility that he was jumped for the bag / his wallet and somethings gone wrong. Was the bag ever recovered? Probably cleaned up as rubbish long ago anyway if it didn't end up in the river with him.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Just watched the videos. Walked some of those street myself ( the more populated ones at the start).

I think suicide unfortunately. He seemed to be wandering aimlessly.

Though it's intriguing that nobody has come forward. I guess there's the possibility that he was jumped for the bag / his wallet and somethings gone wrong. Was the bag ever recovered? Probably cleaned up as rubbish long ago anyway if it didn't end up in the river with him.

It was a paper bag. And I don't know, I reckon he looked to aim there. He wasn't really looking around much or slowing to peak around.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Found this. The inquest is next month as well.

EDIT: It doesn't look to be a planned out suicide. From a Middlesbrough FC forum:

One of my mates Chris Brahney went missing at the Stone Roses on friday, if anyone that went to Heaton Park and remembers seeing him please get in touch.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/stone-roses-fan-missing-fears-1112250

Chris is from Manchester. We've been having a laugh about him copping off but now really getting concerned.
We know he watched the gig but he'd lost his phone and went off looking for it.

He was due to come to Heaton Park with us last night and we expected him to turn up last night with a big smile on his face.

Fingers crossed.

http://fansonline.net/middlesbrough/mb/view.php?id=3239509

 

[Silent Alarm]

Is it a normal thing for a family to consider someone deceased on the day their body was found?

 

[MC Extra Dollop]

To me, it seems like a clear-cut case of suicide. It is interesting that none of the seven CCTV people have come forward or been identified, considering how quickly people (unless they're disguised) seem to be found following the release of CCTV footage over here. But yeah, absolutely no footage of any interaction with another person...the sense of inevitability from his mates...it's possible that it wasn't a suicide, but that's certainly the most likely scenario.

 

[Silent Alarm]

I was almost certain it was a suicide as well. But I've been doing some searching and have found some things that just change my mind. But walking up and down a balcony is the thing that still gets me... maybe he was just having a think, or maybe he was contemplating something much more serious?

It was eerie and pretty sad to find his Instagram. There's a photo of a drink, it's captioned "Stone Roses," and it's dated the week he disappeared.

And the mate on the Boro forum uses "expect" and "big smile" as though it was a formality. He had two really close mates, so maybe they were the ones (if any) who knew of any possible depression? Some phrases like "Chris would've loved it" (from a monthly-ish band night Brahney helped organised at the pub he worked) and "it was the eve we found out about Chris" (on a facebook photo, a few mates carrying a few slabs of beer) and that kind of thing. Just those phrasings confuse me a little.

 

[Chris Partlow]

Excuse the following ramble - I found this forum whilst searching to see if I could find out when the inquest was set to take place. Like yourself Silent Alarm, this incident really got to me. From the Monday morning when the 'Missing' posters were up on Facebook. I was baffled as to where he could be and this increased as the days went on. When he was found in the river I was shocked and the more so when the CCTV footage showed up. I imagined he had been jumped and thrown in the river, especially when I looked on Google Maps and could see that the main route from Heaton Park to the city centre, following the water, takes in some of the roughest parts of the city.
I couldn't stop watching the footage of him walking through the city, trying to figure out what he was thinking.
I think, like yourself, it got to me as I am originally from Manchester, a big music fan who lost his mates on numerous occasions when walking home. I remember being that age and the feelings that you can have at that age.
To me, he took his life. I reckon his family and friends have a good idea why he did so, if that is what he did. It's just amazing that a person could go out and have a great day, knowing (if it was pre-planned) that they were going to be dead before sunrise. Then I saw a scene in the drama 'Treme', in which that happened. That may be fiction, but David Simon's writing is about as close to real-life as we could get.
I wonder how he knew about that alley way and balcony? I'm not sure if it is a new build, but I lived in the city centre for a few years from 2001 and I never knew it was there. It is the way he steadily makes his way there, it is like he just knows exactly where he is going.
It appears the police woman has no evidence of him leaving the balcony and as he was found in the water, he went in from there. From what I can figure out, the only people on the balcony at the same time Chris was on there would have been at 6:28am and they have figured that he had already fallen in by then, seeming as though the grainy footage only features him for the hour from which he arrives. I read somewhere that the footage shows him 'pacing/walking back and forwards' which seems to indicate.
It's a really sad story. I kind of know what you mean about the friends on TV and that. I saw his dad and friends on BBC News when he was missing and they seemed so calm and didn't even seem to get exasperated or irate when their interviewer seemed more interested in the role Facebook was taking. I read into it that they 'knew' he wouldn't be found alive and they were just desperate to find him.
Out of interest, where did you find out that the inquest had been scheduled.
As you can tell, this case fascinated me, partly morbid curiosity and partly because he was a lad from Manchester, Stone Roses fan, seemed a nice lad etc.
These things happen though. This other case is just as curious and happening is the same area:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-12159705

 

[Silent Alarm]

Excuse the following ramble...

G'day. Cool to see another Stone Roses and Wire fan. Especially a Wire fan.

Interesting that you seem to have the same thoughts as me on the case. It's just a really hard thing to understand, I guess. But like you said, how can you go out with your mates and know it'll be your last night? One last send-off, I suppose. Maybe it's me trying to be an optimist, but I think of the little things and they just seem to contradict someone intending to kill themselves. Why change shoes? Why go looking for your phone? It makes me sad to imagine him taking a photo of a drink he had, with his mates, just before heading out. It just makes those civilian things a bit sinister.

Something like losing his mates at the gate, losing his phone... those slight things might've pushed him into it. I just don't think he knew he'd kill himself that night. But again, why walk to the ledge? Do you think "I know exactly where I can do it" or do you just subconsciously find it? Or is there another option of it just so being that, the place he went to just think, also had a river? He just seemed like he knew he was going there. He wasn't dordling. I also think I linked it, but a friend of his on a Boro forum said he had ticket to the show the night after. I dunno.

His friends put a photo online where they were buying a few cases of beer. I don't know if you'd do that if it was a total accident or something like a murder. I dunno.

I can't remember how I found out about the inquest. A news report somewhere.

I just feel sorry for the bloke. Completely normal and relatable. I'd like to know why he did it, but I never will.

 

[Illinois Nazi]

I knew a bloke committed suicide a few years back and the night before he was at a show at a sporting club and was the most up, happy person there. In hindsight it seemed that he was so relaxed because having made the decision of what he was going to do afterwards all the weights of the world had been lifted from him.

So it does happen.

 

[Silent Alarm]

I knew a bloke committed suicide a few years back and the night before he was at a show at a sporting club and was the most up, happy person there. In hindsight it seemed that he was so relaxed because having made the decision of what he was going to do afterwards all the weights of the world had been lifted from him.

So it does happen.

I've heard of this happening a fair bit. It's actually a pretty common sign, and a dangerous symptom, for people with depression.

 

[Chris Partlow]

I was reading more about this story and others similar yesterday when I learnt about Blathnaid Timothy. She was an Irish woman in the thirties, who was last seen on CCTV after taking a taxi to a port area in Dublin. She has never been seen since. At first, the police searched for the taxi driver, he came forward and he had a sound alibi. It later transpired, from what I have read that when police checked her laptop, they found that she had been visiting suicide websites. It seemed like they were reluctant to give this information but were being harrassed about not doing enough to find her, with the murder of Jo Yeats dominating the headlines.
Speculation is indeed vulgar, but maybe they found similar in Chris and that was why his death was never considered suspicious.

 

[Silent Alarm]

I was reading more about this story and others similar yesterday when I learnt about Blathnaid Timothy. She was an Irish woman in the thirties, who was last seen on CCTV after taking a taxi to a port area in Dublin. She has never been seen since. At first, the police searched for the taxi driver, he came forward and he had a sound alibi. It later transpired, from what I have read that when police checked her laptop, they found that she had been visiting suicide websites. It seemed like they were reluctant to give this information but were being harrassed about not doing enough to find her, with the murder of Jo Yeats dominating the headlines.
Speculation is indeed vulgar, but maybe they found similar in Chris and that was why his death was never considered suspicious.

"On the day after Ms Timothy, 33, was reported missing, gardai examined her laptop and found that websites she had visited suggested she had been contemplating taking her life. It is also understood that CCTV footage indicated she had been walking up and down the edge of the quayside on the Liffey."

Parallels.

 

[hatthewmartley]

Hi there,

I just signed up to this forum to add "my two cents" as it were. Like some of you here, this incident also fascinated and got to me.

I think it affected me mainly because I too was at that Stone Roses concert on June 29, 2012, he was my age and he was from my town. It really was absolute bedlam getting out of the park at the end. My group actually left during the encore as we could predict how crazy it was going to be. Complete chaos.

I didn't know Chris personally, although we did share quite a few mutual friends. He worked in a bar called The Green Room in my town (http://www.goosegreenroom.co.uk/). He specialised in creating cocktails. The pictures on his Instagram page that are posted above are some of his creations. He launched his 'Stone Roses' cocktail a few days before the gigs. He was very excited about them. I believe he had a ticket for each of the three shows.

I've gone over the possible reasons why he headed to that balcony overlooking the river Irwell in my head time and time again and now, I just don't know. At first, I believed he may have headed down there to relieve himself as it were, and maybe got in to a bit of trouble with someone. Then I started to think that it could have indeed been suicide. Whatever happened, something doesn't add up. Why did he collect his shoes if he wanted to commit suicide? Why did he make his way into Manchester to do it? I somehow don't think that was his intention. But, I don't have a clue. I really hate to speculate but that's morbid curiosity for you.

I believe the club he was heading to was 42nd Street (http://www.42ndstreetnightclub.co.uk/). They were hosting a Stone Roses after-party that night; I nearly went there myself but after making my way into Manchester, decided to make my way home as I had the headache to end all headaches. If you look on Google Maps or anything similar, the route he initially took (before making his way to the river) does look like he was heading for 42nd Street. I like to believe that he took a small detour to relieve himself and got into a little trouble, somehow. As grim as that is, it fairs a lot better than thinking he ended his own life.

Some people have questioned his sexuality and if that was a reason for heading to the balcony. I have been on that balcony and it isn't somewhere people would go to have sex in the night. It is hardly tucked away in the dark, out of the public eye. It is actually quite well-lit at night and is not as discreet as some may think. There is a hotel on the other side of the river as well as hundreds of apartments with balconies which clearly overlook this area.

Today, there was a little more development in my local newspaper. The deputy coroner has admitted that she simply cannot say how he ended up in the water, but that he did drown and that is his cause of death. Cuts were found on his face and he also had a fractured cheekbone. Now initially, that suggests an attack of some kind, but they have pointed out that because there was no bruising with his injuries, it indicates they happened after he had died. He was also found to have MDMA (ecstasy), as well as alcohol, in his body. (http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/parents-told-son-chris-brahneys-1293081)

It must be heartbreaking for his family upon realising that they may never know what happened to Chris. This story is always going to stick with me, I'm certain of that. Every time I listen to the Stone Roses, or whenever I'm in Manchester. It tainted what should have been an amazing comeback for the Stone Roses and an amazing weekend of music, alcohol and friendship.